Butterflies part 41
by Kksaunt1
Summary: Life with Caleb continues


"Where's Daddy?" Caleb asked Elizabeth for the tenth time that day.

"You tell me, Caleb, where's Daddy?"

"At work?"

"Yes, he is."

"I miss him."

"I know, but he'll be home when you wake up." She went through the same conversation everyday. She thought maybe it was still Caleb's way of making sure this Daddy wasn't going anywhere like his first Daddy. She tucked him under the covers and kissed his forehead. "Love you, Caleb."

"Love you, Mama."

She left the door open and walked in to check on Maddie who was asleep and then a peek to Emma's cradle revealed the same thing. Elizabeth let out a sigh of relief and climbed under the covers of her own bed and fell asleep. Ten minutes later, she felt the bed move and opened one eye. Caleb had come in and crawled into bed with her. "Caleb? Why aren't you in your room?"

"Want Mama. Please?" He moved closer so he was laying against her. She had a hard time saying no to him when it came to bed time. He seemed to be getting over some of his fear of the dark, but he still thought someone would leave him when he slept.

"Ok, Baby. Let's sleep. I'm so tired."

"Love you Mama."

"Love you too."

Jack walked in an hour later to a quiet house. He knew it was nap time so he was quiet as he peeked in everyone's room. Maddie was sleeping in her crib with her thumb in her mouth. She picked up that habit when she lost interest in nursing at night. Next he looked in Caleb's room, but his bed was empty. So he slowly opened his own bedroom door and found Emma asleep in her cradle and Caleb and Elizabeth in the bed. Figuring a nap sounded good, he took off his boots and crawled in next to Caleb to go to sleep. Elizabeth woke up an hour later and looked over to see Jack laying there on the other side of Caleb. She stared at him for a moment and then he opened his eyes and smiled at her. "Hey," he whispered.

"Hi." She got up slowly and then motioned for Jack to follow her. They left the room and went into the kitchen.

"How was your day, Elizabeth?"

She turned and wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tight. "I missed you."

"I missed you too. Is everything ok?" She nodded and pulled back slightly to capture his lips with her own. Jack wasn't going to complain, this was a great way to be greeted, but he still wondered if something was bothering her. When they broke apart, she buried her face in his neck, holding him tightly.

He felt something pat his leg. "Daddy? You're home."

"Hi, Caleb. Did you have a good nap?" He got down to his level as Elizabeth went to start dinner.

"Yes, Daddy. Mama let me sleep where you sleep."

"I saw. Why didn't you sleep in your room?"

Caleb shrugged. "Wanted Mama."

"That's ok, but at night you need to sleep in your room, understand?"

"But it's dark, Daddy. I scared." His eyes got bigger as he tried to convince Jack.

"Its dark, but you don't have to be scared. Mama and I are right down the hall. We won't let anything happen to you."

"Yes, Daddy." He looked sad but he understood. "Read?"

"Ok, let's go read a story."

"Rock me, Daddy? Like Mama?"

"Ok, let's go rock, but we need to be quiet because Emma's sleeping."

"Ok, let's go!" Elizabeth smiled at his excitement.

After they started reading the book Caleb chose, Emma woke up. She was content for a few minutes by herself but eventually wanted attention. "Daddy hold Emmy?"

"Yes, but I can rock both of you." He got up, picked up Emma and changed her diaper. Then he sat back in the rocking chair with her in one hand and helped Caleb climb up on his lap with the other hand. "Read, Daddy. Read to Emmy and Caleb?"

"Well, I don't have any more hands. We can finish the story later, ok?"

"Ok, Daddy." They rocked for a few more minutes and Maddie woke up in the other room. "Daddy, Maddie awake. Let's go see!" Caleb jumped down and grabbed his hand, pulling him into Maddie's room.

"Dada," Maddie said as they walked in. She held out her hands for him to pick her up. Jack thought for a minute and laid Emma in Maddie's crib and picked up Maddie. "Dada, wet."

"I see. Let's change you, ok?" He changed her diaper and put her down on the floor so he could pick Emma up again. "Let's go find Mama."

"Let's go!" Caleb said and Maddie said, "Go!" because she needed to copy her brother. This caused Jack to laugh. These children were so wonderful, they were his life. He had everything he could ever want. He walked out behind them to see Maddie and Caleb now sitting on the couch with Elizabeth.

"Found her, Daddy!"

"I see that. Good job, buddy." He chuckled again.

"What's so funny, Jack?"

"Nothing. I'm just happy." He sat down on the couch with everyone else.

Later that night after putting the kids to bed, Elizabeth and Jack were talking on the couch, in front of the fire. "So, Elizabeth?"

"So, Jack."

"This afternoon when you brought me out to the kitchen."

"Yes?"

"It seemed like something was bothering you, or I don't know. I'm not complaining, I always love kissing you, but I just want to make sure you were ok."

"Yes, I'm good. The kids were good. I just missed you and wanted to kiss you right then. We don't get that much time alone, so I wanted to take advantage of it."

"Ok. Well, feel free to do that whenever you want." She smiled and grabbed his shirt pulling him in for another kiss.

"How was that?"

"Um…good." Elizabeth laughed kissing his cheek and leaning back against his chest.

"Mama?"

"Caleb? What are you doing up, Sweetie?"

"Want Mama. Hold me?"

"Its late, honey. You should be sleeping."

"Mama, please?"

"Just for a few minutes." She reached down to pick him up. He wrapped his arms around her neck and hugged her. Elizabeth leaned back on Jack's chest, rubbing Caleb's back as she held him.

"Love you, Mama."

"Love you too, Honey."

After a few minutes, Elizabeth got up with a sleeping Caleb in her arms. She walked down the hall into his room, put him under the blankets and kissed his forehead.

Jack stood in the doorway, watching. She turned around and saw Jack. "What?" she asked with a smile.

He took her hand and pulled her quietly out of Caleb's room and into theirs. "Thank you." He said with a kiss.

"For what?"

"Being such a good mother to him. You amaze me."

"He makes it easy. He's a good boy."

"He is."

"I love him very much, Jack," she said as she undressed and put on her nightgown.

"I know."

"He is the sweetest little boy. Every time he calls me Mama, my heart just fills with love for him. I wouldn't have thought it was possible to love him this much, not being my own flesh and blood, but it doesn't matter. It's like he's always been here."

"He belongs with us," Jack agreed.

"Yes, he does. If we could just get him to stay in his own bed."

Jack laughed. "Yeah, that would be good." They climbed in to bed and turned out the lamps. "Do you want to go to town tomorrow? Maybe visit Abigail and Frank or your sisters. I think it would be good for everyone to get out of the house for awhile."

"Sure, we will go with you. He needs to meet everyone."

"Good."

The next morning, Elizabeth moved over toward Jack in the bed, but realized Caleb had somehow come in without both of them noticing and was sleeping between them. "Sneaky boy," she chuckled to herself.

Caleb woke up and smiled at Elizabeth. "Hi, Mama."

"Hi, Sweetheart. Why are you in here? Daddy said you need to be in your own bed, remember?"

He nodded. Maddie started whimpering in her room, so Elizabeth went to get her. She changed her diaper and brought her back to bed with her. Maddie wanted to snuggle so she climbed under the covers and held her close. "Mama, love."

"Yes, Mama loves you."

Jack opened his eyes to see a lot of people in his bed. As much as he loved his whole family, he really wished he could wake up one morning with just Elizabeth there. Emma started crying so he went and changed her and brought her to bed too.

"Morning, Love," Elizabeth said over the noise, smiling.

"Morning." It may have been noisy, but this was what made him happy. Seeing all of his kids and his beautiful wife together was wonderful.

"Ok, who's hungry?"

"Me," Caleb and Jack both said, but Emma seemed to be hungrier than both of them.

"Ok, let's go get breakfast while Mama feeds Emma," Jack suggested.

Jack got up and helped Caleb and Maddie down and ushered them out the door. Before he followed them, he came over and kissed Elizabeth. "Love you."

"Love you more." He kissed her one more time and then went to make breakfast.

Later, Elizabeth bundled everyone up in coats and mittens and hats and blankets and Jack helped everyone into the wagon to go to town. Elizabeth sat in back with the kids to make sure everyone stayed sitting down which wasn't easy. "Mama look!" Caleb jumped up to his knees and pointed.

"Yes, Caleb, a deer, but you have to sit on your bottom." She gently took her hand and pushed him down on the blankets.

"Yes, Mama."

Next Maddie saw the deer and a horse. She stood up and pointed, not knowing the words. "Maddie, sit on your bottom." She sat back down as the wagon hit a bump and everyone fell forward.

"Jack, can you stop?" Jack pulled to the side and stopped.

Caleb stood up to see what was going on. "Caleb, sit down." He promptly sat. "Caleb, Maddie, look at Mama," Elizabeth said in her teacher voice. Stern, but loving at the same time. Both looked at her. "Did you feel the bump when Daddy was driving just now?"

"Yes, Mama."

"That's why we have to sit in the wagon. If you were standing and he hit that bump, you could have fallen out and gotten hurt. So everyone needs to sit on their bottoms, until I say you can get up, ok?"

"Yes, Mama." Maddie may not have completely understood, but she knew Mama meant what she said when she used that tone, so she nodded.

"Jack?"

"Yes, Honey?"

"Please go slower."

"Ok, I will."

"Ok, now let's go to town." Jack smiled and started driving again, slower, as requested.

A few minutes later they pulled up to Abigail's. Jack jumped down and helped Caleb down on the sidewalk. Then he grabbed Maddie and with the other hand took Emma from Elizabeth so she could hop down. They walked into the side door of the café. "Morning, Abigail."

"Elizabeth Thornton. You are a sight for sore eyes." She took Emma from Jack. "Wow, Emma, you are getting so big. What's your Mama feeding you?"

"Mama?" Elizabeth bent down to pick up Caleb.

"Who's this handsome young man?" Abigail asked.

"This is Caleb, Abigail. Our son." Abigail looked up, surprised.

"Its nice to meet you, Caleb." He smiled, but kept his head buried in Elizabeth's shoulder.

Jack put Maddie down and kissed Elizabeth. "I'm going to take the wagon to the livery and head to work."

"Ok, Love. See you for lunch?"

"I'll be here."

"Daddy? Can I go with you?" Caleb asked.

"No, not right now. Maybe Mama can bring you later?" He looked at Elizabeth.

"I'll take you later, Caleb." Caleb looked sad but nodded.

"Everybody give Daddy kisses. He's going to work," Elizabeth announced. Jack squatted down and Maddie kissed his cheek. Elizabeth put Caleb down and he hugged Jack's neck. "Bye Daddy."

"I love you, Caleb."

"Love you, Daddy.

"Listen to Mama." Caleb nodded. "Good boy," he said as he kissed his cheek and left.

"Caleb, do you want to draw Daddy a picture?"

"Yes, Mama." He walked over and sat at the table while Elizabeth put crayons and paper in front of him. He immediately started coloring so Elizabeth sat in the parlor. Maddie was playing with blocks so Elizabeth and Abigail had a chance to catch up.

"Elizabeth, I feel like I haven't talked to you in so long. Apparently a lot has been going on."

"So much, Abigail. It's wonderful."

"Start at the beginning."

"Jack was gone for six weeks on assignment and he sent a telegram when he was on his way that he had a surprise."

"A surprise? That was an understatement."

"Yes, it was. Jack found him at night, cold and hungry, outside in the wind. He asked around the town he was in and no one knew who he was. After a couple weeks, he couldn't find anyone to take him. He's had a rough life for such a little guy."

"Mama, see? Picture for Daddy." Caleb brought it over and showed her.

"Good job, sweetie. What is it?"

"Its Daddy! See red!" Elizabeth smiled.

"Daddy will love it."

"Can we go see him?"

"Not now, but soon."

Maddie walked up and gave him a block. "Bock?"

"Want me to play?" Caleb asked. Maddie nodded and they walked off.

"Abigail, can I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"Because of what he's been through, he is afraid of the dark and afraid of being left alone. He always ends up sleeping with us. I can't figure out what to do to help him."

"It might be just a faze, however if you let him keep sleeping with you, that will be the hard habit to break."

"I find it hard to say no. Abigail, his whole family died. His mom…she couldn't handle losing her husband and daughter…she took her own life and he saw her do it. He blamed himself. It was heartbreaking."

"Elizabeth, I think you need to be patient with him. Knowing what he saw, it might take a long time to get past it." Elizabeth nodded. "He is so lucky to have your family."

"We are the lucky ones. He brings joy every day."

A few hours later, the kids were getting tired of playing at Abigail's so Elizabeth grabbed Julie from her waitressing duties and they all walked to the jail. "Going to see Daddy, Mama?" he asked excitedly.

"Yes, Caleb. Let's go!"

They walked the short distance to the jail and walked in. "Daddy! I drawed you!" Caleb burst in, causing Jack to jump up and turn around, his back facing away from them.

"Jack?" Elizabeth noticed he was hiding his face.

"Elizabeth, can you help me in here please?" She walked in the bedroom with Emma leaving the other two with Julie. Jack closed the door behind them and turned around. Elizabeth gasped. His top lip was split and bleeding and his left eye was starting to bruise.

"What happened?" She put Emma on the bed so she could tend to Jack.

"I had to break up a fight at the saloon. Why men feel the need to get drunk in the middle of the day, I'll never know."

She took the rag from him and held it against his lip. "Honey, hold this here so it'll stop bleeding." She gently touched his eye.

"Sweetheart, that hurts."

"Sorry, sorry. How are you going to explain this to Caleb?"

"I guess just be honest with him." Caleb walked in the door with Julie right behind.

"I'm sorry, he got tired of waiting."

"Daddy got hurt?" He looked frightened but calm.

Elizabeth picked him up and held him for a moment. "Yes, Daddy got hurt. He's going to be ok, I promise."

"Daddy? I drawed you." He held out the picture he colored at Abigail's, keeping an eye on Jack's face.

"Thank you, Caleb. You did a good job. I will hang it on my wall, ok?" Caleb nodded while a tear slid down his cheek.

Jack noticed the tear and took Caleb from Elizabeth, sitting down in the chair. "Caleb, what's wrong?"

Julie stepped into the other room with Maddie and Elizabeth sat down with Emma on the bed.

"I'm scared, Daddy."

"Why?"

"Bad man hurt you. Don't want them to hurt Mama or Maddie or Emmy."

"Caleb, nobody will hurt you or your Mama or your sisters. I won't let that happen. I promise."

"He hurt you, Daddy."

"Yes, but it's my job to try to make people stop fighting sometimes. Sometimes, people get mad at me for stopping them, but you and your Mama and sisters are safe."

"I want you safe too, Daddy." He leaned his head on Jack's chest.

"Don't worry about me, Caleb. I'll be fine."

"Maybe I should have said no when he asked to come to the jail."

"Elizabeth, we didn't know it was going to happen. Normally it's fine." Elizabeth sighed and sat up to get out of bed.

"Where are you going?"

"Let's go sit on the swing." She pulled on his hand.

"Its freezing out there. Come back here where it's nice and warm."

"Well I'm going." She put on a warmer nightgown and a robe and socks. Then she left the room to start tea. While the tea was brewing, she grabbed a blanket and put her shoes on and Jack walked in the kitchen.

"Decided to join me, Honey?"

"Yes, but I still would rather be in our warm bed."

"Don't worry, I'll keep you warm," she said with a wink.

"Oh yeah? How will you do that?" He stepped closer, a twinkle in his eyes.

"Let me show you." She knew what he was expecting, but instead she wrapped the blanket around his shoulders and gave him a tea cup. "That should do it." She smiled and poured their tea.

"Very funny, Sweetheart."

"I thought it was." She grabbed another blanket and walked out the door.

Elizabeth took a deep breath, taking the cold air into her lungs. She walked over to the porch railing and looked up at the stars. "Jack, come here. This is beautiful."

"You're beautiful." He put his cup on the railing and wrapped his arms around her. She looked in his eyes.

"Thank you."

"Its nice to have you to myself for a few minutes, even if it is freezing."

"Shhh. Enjoy the quiet."

"I am." He gently kissed her, making her shiver, so he pulled her closer. "Are you cold?"

She shook her head as he moved in for another slow, lingering kiss, giving her goosebumps all over.

"Oh my goodness, Jack."

"What?" he asked as he continued their kiss, putting his hand on her neck, pulling her closer yet.

"You…nothing." She smiled, deciding to just follow her own advice and enjoy the quiet.

She put her head on his shoulder, composing herself. "That cut on your lip didn't seem to affect your kissing," she mentioned with a laugh.

He raised his eyebrows at her. "You liked that, did you?"

"Yeah. You've always had that effect on me. You can render me speechless with just a look, but when you kiss me like that, my goodness…it's hard to breathe."

"I can stop…"

"You better not." She smiled, her cheeks turning pink. "When we are eighty five years old and great-grandparents, promise me you'll still kiss me like that."

"Promise."


End file.
